The lights are back on the normal cycle now (which will only matter once lights are out tonight) and pH is back near normal. A fair amount of cloudiness is still there, and I'm doing small frequent water exchanges. The BTA just concerns me because it's completely under a rock, blocking it from the light. My wife checked it out with a flashlight, and it opened up a little in response to the light... but showed no inclination to move out of the dark.
Quick advice needed... kalk and cloudy water
- Thread starter cr500_af
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Might take it a few days to de-stress... Glad it seems to be getting better.. Let me know if you need anything...
You don't owe me anything.. It comes with the membership 
Just keep an eye on it.. Its prolly just stressed out.. Got my fingers crossed it will pull through
Just keep an eye on it.. Its prolly just stressed out.. Got my fingers crossed it will pull through
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Barry
If you need to house something or need water I'm here in Dallas as well I usually keep a hundred gallons mixed.
If you need to house something or need water I'm here in Dallas as well I usually keep a hundred gallons mixed.
Thanks. I was only "out" until I got the temp up. I'm testing right now trying to figure out what happened, and why things are still cloudy. pH is down around 8 now (a little lower than I wanted it, but I'm not about to try to manipulate anything yet, until it stabilizes).
Alk is 11dKH, about to go test CA and the usual trates and trites.
Tests:
SG 1.023
Ammonia 0
Nitrite 0
Nitrite 0
pH 7.9-8.0
dKH 11
Ca 325
With these numbers in mind, what would be the best guess as to what happened? And why the persistent cloudiness?
For the record, I've only recently begun testing Ca, and it is usually around this number. I have recently begun dosing SMALL amounts (about 1/2 the directions) of Kent Liquid Calcium, and the fact that it is not higher makes me wonder if this isn't involved.
SG 1.023
Ammonia 0
Nitrite 0
Nitrite 0
pH 7.9-8.0
dKH 11
Ca 325
With these numbers in mind, what would be the best guess as to what happened? And why the persistent cloudiness?
For the record, I've only recently begun testing Ca, and it is usually around this number. I have recently begun dosing SMALL amounts (about 1/2 the directions) of Kent Liquid Calcium, and the fact that it is not higher makes me wonder if this isn't involved.
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How much vinegar did you dose .It might be a bacterial bloom??
A little less than 200ml over 24 hours with a total system volume of 110g.
According to the link above, 1ml/gal will drop pH by .3 . I had to "return" from 8.92 measured with a Reefkeeper probe. This SHOULD have brought me down to a little above 8.3, from where I'd planned to finish up with water changes rather than dosing. It went a little lower than that, obviously.
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Congrats Barry. Anything else still looking down or is that the end of it?
Unless there are some snails that bit the dust, that seems to be the end of the crisis. I'm not COMPLETELY relaxed about the RBTA, but it is much more extended and its color is much better. I'm hoping that it decides to move out in search of light today.
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Did the water clear up?
Maybe this is too late,
BUT I have literally nuked my tank many times with kalk, and have not really ever lost anything to it. I have had my water MAJORLY cloudy with 8.8+ ph spikes (according to my ACJr) by accidentally doing waterchanges without cutting off the ATO.
IMO the spike is very temporary and dissipates quickly. You might be better to wait it out, as I have several times with no issues. It should drop back down pretty quickly, and stabilize maybe just a little higher than before. Sometimes over-reacting and yo-yo'ing your tank ultimatly causes the losses, not the initial accident.
Of course this is just my experience, so use your best judgement.
BUT I have literally nuked my tank many times with kalk, and have not really ever lost anything to it. I have had my water MAJORLY cloudy with 8.8+ ph spikes (according to my ACJr) by accidentally doing waterchanges without cutting off the ATO.
IMO the spike is very temporary and dissipates quickly. You might be better to wait it out, as I have several times with no issues. It should drop back down pretty quickly, and stabilize maybe just a little higher than before. Sometimes over-reacting and yo-yo'ing your tank ultimatly causes the losses, not the initial accident.
Of course this is just my experience, so use your best judgement.
Like derek I had a serious ph spike that went to 9.7. I turned on the ro unit to fill my ato tub. Apparently it was empty so as it was filling my kalk reactor was dosing. I had about 20 gals of water from my water change left that was cold so I swapped it with tank water. Ph came down to 8.8 and everything survived.
